


The Weather Outside is Frightful

by SomeSortofItalianRoast



Series: In Cups of Coffee [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Fluff and more fluff, Happy Steve Bingo, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeSortofItalianRoast/pseuds/SomeSortofItalianRoast
Summary: It’s snowing in New York, but the fire is delightful.Or, Steve and Bucky hang a Moravian Star and snuggle.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: In Cups of Coffee [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599580
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24
Collections: Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020





	The Weather Outside is Frightful

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bucky Barnes Bingo (Round 2) : Y-4 (Intimacy without Sex), and for Happy Steve Bingo (Round 2) : E-3 (Proposal). 
> 
> While set in the _In Cups of Coffee_ universe, this story stands alone.
> 
> Title comes from the song [ "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let it Snow!" sung by the incomparable Dean Martin](https://open.spotify.com/track/67vGxDdksPPrdUoi7R7n8Y).

It was just starting to snow, the dense, wet flakes somehow finding their way into Steve’s jacket and down his neck. He was hurrying home from Wide Awake, what with the blizzard conditions expected and the temperature rapidly dropping. He shivered again, making sure to walk as carefully as he could, not wanting to trip on any black ice and find himself at the hospital. 

After what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes longer than his usual commute to the townhouse he shared with Bucky, he was home. He hoped Bucky had started a fire in the fireplace, though he wouldn’t turn down popcorn, hot cocoa, and some snuggling on the couch.

When he turned the corner and saw their townhouse, he saw Bucky standing on a step stool on their stoop, attempting to hang a multi-pointed… thing. He wobbled, a look of panic crossing his face. Steve sped up, getting to their stoop in time to steady Bucky. Who was clutching the pointed thing as though it was made of glass. Closer inspection revealed that it was, in fact, made of glass. It was made of triangles of almost opaque white glass, each triangle surrounded by the metal used to weld it into star shape. There were more than the usual number of points, and it was glowing like it was lit from the inside. 

“What is this thing?” Steve asked. He motioned Bucky off of the step stool, stepping quickly up and checking on the hook. “And how long has this hook been here?”

“Help me get this hung and I’ll tell you all about it while we warm up.” Bucky’s teeth chattered slightly. He was not dressed for the rapidly dropping temperatures, probably thinking that it wouldn’t take as long as it was taking to hang this star. “And that hook has been there since I was a boy. Dad hung a star from it every year.”

“So it’s secure. Good to know. Never saw it was here.” With deft movements, Steve secured the star to the hook, and gently released it. It glowed above his head, a gentle light in the darkness that always comes with heavy snowfall. “Done. Let’s go make some cocoa and warm up. I think every single snowflake between here and the café decided to go down my jacket.”

“You really need a jacket with a hood,” Bucky said as he collected the step stool, following Steve into the townhouse. He put the step stool in the hall closet, as well as Steve’s jacket. 

“This one’s usually fine. It’s just when it snows.” Steve wandered into the kitchen, getting out the things to make tea. “Do you want hot cocoa or tea? I’m making myself a decaf London Fog.”

“Ooh, that sounds good. Make me one?” Bucky called back. “Extra sugar-”

“Hold the vanilla, I know,” Steve said. He set the water to the right temperature in their fancy electric kettle - a gift from Tony who probably thought he was being funny, but they used it all the time - and poured milk into a glass container. He put the milk in the microwave, heating it up, and used a small, handheld milk frother to froth it up. It wasn’t as good as the one at the cafe, but it was small, fast, and convenient, and he didn’t use it very often, just when he was making London Fogs or something similar. 

The kettle clicked off, and he poured the water over the tea leaves, and set a timer. He poured the milk into mugs, giving it an extra froth. Once the tea was brewed, he pulled the leaves out, and added some sugar. He poured half of the tea into one of the mugs, hands automatically moving to make a heart in the foam, before adding another spoonful of sugar, being careful not to mess up his foam art. He added a dash of vanilla extract to his tea, and poured it into the other mug. 

He took both mugs into the living room, where Bucky had already put out some cookies, and was stoking the fire up. “Snow always calls for a fire,” he said, taking his tea from Steve.

“It does. It’s delightful.” Steve sat down on the couch, relaxing into the cushions with a groan. “You’d think bad weather would encourage people to stay home, but no, not New Yorkers. How was your meeting with Peggy?”

“Virtual, thank god. She didn’t want to drive over here.” Bucky paused, sipping his tea. “She agreed to let me have two more weeks, but then I have to send her what I have, no matter if it’s ready.”

“You’ll be ready.” Steve put his tea on the end table and snuggled under Bucky’s arm. “What with that star you were trying to hang? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before.”

“Oh, yeah, that.” Bucky laughed slightly. “It’s a Moravian Star. I got in the habit of putting one up when I lived in Winston-Salem. I rarely put up a tree, but I always put that up. I almost forgot this year.”

“Tradition?”

“Tradition, yeah. Winston-Salem was originally founded by the Moravians, and there’s a small historical district, complete with interpreters in full mid-1700s dress. They’re quite proud that George Washington slept at the Public House. The first year I was there, I wasn’t able to go home for Christmas and my boss gave me a small star. I’d just started working with Wachovia in December, and didn’t have a chance to even think about finding a tree, much less ornaments, so I wasn’t decorating. But I found a place to put that little star. The next year, I bought a bigger one, and hung it outside my door.” Bucky shrugged. “I can take it down, if you want?”

Steve felt Bucky’s emotions through the Bond. Their Soulbond had stabilized to the point that they could barely feel it, unless one of them was experiencing strong emotions, like Bucky was over his star. 

“It’s pretty. I like how it seems to glow. I guess it’s lit from the inside?”

“Yeah, batteries.” Bucky nodded. He seemed nervous about something, but Steve couldn’t figure out why the star was making him nervous. He couldn’t have been worried that Steve would have asked him to take it down, right? He’d never do that, not about a star, anyway.

“Modernity along with tradition, I like it.” Steve smiled, pushing himself into a sitting position to drink his tea. He felt Bucky shift on the couch behind him. 

“We’ve been dating for what, 18 months?” Bucky asked, an interesting edge to his voice. Steve, holding his tea, gently probed their Bond, which seemed to sing with happiness in response. Nothing to worry about, then. He took another sip of his tea, before putting it back. 

“Thereabouts,” he agreed, knowing Bucky could tell him down to the minute how long ago they’d formed their Bond. Bucky was holding something in his left hand, and the Bond was beside itself with happiness, bubbling between them. Whatever Bucky was holding, the Bond was thrilled about.

“Then I guess it’s overdue,” Bucky said, opening his left hand, revealing a wedding band. The Bond was trying to faint from happiness. Failing, because it was a Soulbond, but still trying. There was no question as to Steve’s answer.

Except. 

“Did you just… propose to me by saying “I guess it’s overdue” and showing me a ring? You… you…” Steve dissolved into giggles. “Only you, Bucky, only you.”

“I… I…” Bucky seemed at a loss for words. “I couldn’t decide on what to say?” He finally said. 

“How about “Steve, will you marry me?” That would have been nice.” Steve took the ring from Bucky’s hand, and slid it on to his finger before Bucky could. It felt like stainless steel, which was perfect for Steve, though it could have been something much more expensive. Bucky was rich, something that was still a note of contention between them, Bucky’s money. 

“Steve, will you marry me?” Bucky belatedly asked, taking Steve’s hand. He pressed a kiss to Steve’s lips. Steve sighed into the kiss, pulling away to say “Yes. Always yes” before returning the kiss. They kissed for a few moments, before pulling away and snuggling into each other and the blankets on the couch, watching the fire burn down low and the snow falling.


End file.
